Love in a Piece of Cake
by easterlily16
Summary: It's a few steps of relationship: from strangers, to friends, and what will they be next? Sora/OC
1. The newbie

* * *

**Love in a piece of cake**

* * *

**Disclaimer:**

I **do not** own anything that related to Kingdom Hearts

* * *

* * *

**Chapter 1 : The newbie  
**

**

* * *

  
**

"Arinaz?"

"Arinaz, wake up."

I woke up hearing a voice call my name. I opened my eyes and blinked a few times to get rid of the sleepiness. I lifted my head up to the source of the voice and found a dark-brown-hair girl standing in front of me. She was smiling at me, or at least that's what I think.

"Hey, Arinaz," the same voice from before came, calling my name once again.

I rubbed my eyes as I tried to recognize the girl in front of me. "Lily?"

"Yup. And you are Arinaz, right?"

"Y-yes."

"Welcome to Destiny Island."

"B-but I thought that I was still at the... boat?" I wasn't really done talking, but when I looked around and realized that the boat have arrived, I decided to stop.

She chuckled. "You look tired. Well, that's not unusual after taking a long journey." I smiled sheepishly at her. "C'mon. Let's get going so you can have a rest. Then I'll guide you around the island," she said as she took my travel bag from the chair beside me.

-------------------------

"You can use this room. I know it's quite small comparing to the one in your house, but I only have two bedrooms" she explained when she showed me one of the bedrooms in her house.

"No, no. It's fine," I shook my head, which responded by a smile.

"My room is right beside yours so just tell me if you need anything."

I nodded just before started to yawn.

"Guess you need to take a rest first. I'd better leave," she chuckled as she walked out the room.

"How about the tour?"

"The tour can wait," was all the things she said just before she closed the door.

I decided to lie down on the single bed in the room, trying to relax for a bit. It didn't take long until I fell asleep.

------------------------------

I woke up the next morning. I groaned as I sat up, still on the bed. I got up from my bed and slowly dragged myself towards the bathroom, which then I found right in front of my room.

A nice bath made me feel a lot better. I opened the wardrobe and took out my clothes, a yellow dress which go to my knee. After brushing my hair, I just realized I haven't eaten since yesterday and now I'm starving.

I walked downstairs, hoping to see Lily there. But unfortunately, Lily was nowhere to find. The only thing I found downstairs was an omelet, a bowl of salad, two layers of wheat bread, all wrapped with a cling film, and a jar of paopu fruit jam. Beside it was a note that's written :

_Arinaz__,_

_Sorry I'm going first, got something to do.__ About the tour, come to 'Sandy Smile Cafe' at around 3pm._

_Ps : You need to eat. Sorry if the omelet didn't suit your taste. There's a bottle of ice tea in the refrigerator._

_Lily_

And on the other side of the paper, there was a map made using a black marker.

As I finished the nice, yet too quite breakfast, I spent the hours either watching television, hearing music on the radio, or just reading some books which was on the bookshelf. After a few hours of waiting, I decided to go to the cafe Lily told me earlier. Well, come early won't hurt, will it?

-----------------------------

I stopped a few metres from the small cottage-like cafe and made sure I'm in the right place by looking at both the board on top of the cafe and the note Lily gave me. Yup! Guess this is it. 'Sandy Smile Cafe'. What a unique name.

A sound of a bell ringing and a "welcome" was heard as I opened the classic wodden door. The cafe was empty. The only person I saw was a dark brown hair girl which looks familiar standing behind the counter.

"Lily?" I called unsure.

The cashier, who was reading a book, looked up as soon as she heard me. "Ah. Hey, Arinaz," she said putting her book on the table counter, "You come earlier than I expected."

"I was dead bored. So I decided to come here and wait. But you didn't tell me you're working here."

"Oh. Did I?" she said scratching the back of her head, "Sorry."

"Hey, Lily," a boy's sound heard from the kitchen, "Come here a mi.." He walked out the kitchen and stopped as soon as he saw me. "Oh. Welcome."

"Hey, Cloud," Lily greet the spiky blond boy.

The boy, who Lily calls Cloud, stared at me for a minute. "I think I've never met you before. Are you new?" he asked.

"Let me introduce. Cloud, meet Arinaz. She's just moved yesterday and she's my roommates," she said to Cloud before turned to me, "Arinaz, this is Cloud. He's my manager. He and his girlfriend own this cafe."

"Hi, Arinaz," Cloud said, offering me a shake hand.

"Hey, Cloud. Can I go early? I promised Arinaz a tour around here," Lily asked.

He turned to look at her then at me. He thought for a while before answered, "Well. Since there aren't many costumers I guess that's fine."

"Thanks," she thanked him as she took off the apron she's been using then quickly walked to the kitchen and hanged it up at the coat hanger behind the door.

"Oh yeah. If you pass by the market, go get us some flour, sugar, and milk," Cloud said just when Lily came out.

"Flour, sugar, and milk. Got it," she reppeated, trying to make a note in her head, "C'mon Arinaz."

--------------------------------

"...And here's the supermarket, the 'Half Oblivion'," she pointed at a building which looks like, well, supermarket.. I nodded as a respond to make sure I'm listening to her. "Will you wait a minute? I need to buy the things Cloud told me."

"Okay," I said as I sat down on a bench in front of the supermarket, resting my feet.

"You come?" she asked just before she was about to enter.

"I'll wait here," I motioned at the bench I was sat on.

She shrugged. "Okay then."

Sat down and have a little rest after walking around so much sure is great. At least until I saw a group of four coming. The first one, which looks like the leader, wore a beanie and has a scar across his face. The second boy with a tan skin and muscular body walked behind him. The third is the only girl in that group. She has a silver hair and emotionlessly expression. And another one is a strange-look kid wearing a very strange hat. I looked at them mindlessly but they caught me staring at them.

"What are you looking at, eh?" the benie boy started.

"Yeah. What are you looking at, y'know?" the tanned skin boy repeated.

"Nothing," I said innocently.

"Hey, I've never seen you before," the first one said studying my face and trying to recognize me.

"Yeah. I'm new."

"Newbie," the silver hair girl said monotonously.

"So you new, eh? Then I warn you not to mess up with me, Seifer, the Destiny Island Disciplinary Committee," he added pointing himself full of confidence,"Got it?"

I was about to answer when I heard another boy voice yelling, "Hey. What are you doing?"

**--To be continue--**

**

* * *

**

**Author's note:**

Arinaz and Lily weren't the characters from kingdom hearts. They're my OC-s. Well, they basically based on me and my friends actually.. Anyway, hope you like it. Reviews and critiques are welcomed. ^^


	2. the feeling

I was about to answer when I heard another boy voice yelling, "Hey. What are you doing?"

I looked over my shoulder and found a brunette standing behind me, wearing a black and white shirt with the 'Half Oblivion' logo on its front pocket.

"Just get her remember not to mess around," Seifer said with a mocking smile on his face.

"Seifer's warn the newbie, y'know?"

I still stared at the spiky hair boy, motioning 'help' soundlessly with my mouth. He looked a bit confused. Looks like he didn't get what I meant. I repeated it a few times, but the 'what-do-you-mean' look still on his face. I guess I must try another way. I made a 'please-help-me' face. Whether he got it or not, he helped me anyway. Oh, thank god.

"Seifer, get away from her," he told Seifer.

"What are you gonna do? Run away?" Seifer laughed as he finished his sentence, followed by Rai's laugh and Fuu's, "Chicken."

"No," he said, pump his hand into a fist, "This is what I'm gonna do." He quickly ran to Seifer and punched him right on his stomach.

"Ouch!" Seifer groaned holding his stomach with both of his arms.

The three of his gang covered him up from the brown hair boy next attack. "Seifer's not in the right condition right now, y'know?" Seifer got up on his own. "I'm not done with you yet, lamers," he said and walked pass me and the boy.

After Seifer and his gang was out of sight, neither me nor the boy talked. There was a few moment of silence before the boy suddenly broke it.

"Aw, man! I'm so screwed," he yelled putting both of his hands on his head, "The old man gonna punish me for sure if he knew about this!" He ran around in circle, still yelling and panicking.

"Uumm.."

My voice seemed to bring him back to reality as he stopped running and turned his attention to me. "Ah. You okay?" he asked, looks much normal than before.

"Yeah. Thanks."

"No big deal. I've always wanna do that," he grinned, "Oh. By the way, are you new?"

"Yes. I'm Arinaz," I answered.

"I'm Sora. Nice to meet you, Arin."

-------------------------------------

I ran towards Sora and swung my struggle bat, attacking him a few times, each from different direction, but he kept blocking it. I jumped backwards as he started to make a move. Now it's his turn to attack. He hit me, just like I did, only faster and stronger. I avoided it quite perfectly, instead of blocked it.

After a few times of attacking, his movement became a little bit slower. I dropped to the ground and thrust my bat to his stomach as fast as I could. He jumped over me, avoiding my attack successfully, and appeared behind my back. I quickly stood up and turned his way, trying to defend. But he got me.

He swung his bat to confront with mine. I wasn't quick and strong enough to block it. My bat was snatched from my hand and dropped to the ground. Sora, knowing I can't attack him, pointed his bat towards my neck before let it drop to the ground too.

"Good game, Arin. You're a fast learner," Sora smiled widely, panting, as he rested his hands on both of his knees.

I walked over to a palm tree and picked up two bottle of water. "That's no good. I still can't defeat you," I complained, throwing over one of the bottle to Sora, "How did you become so strong at this?"

He caught the bottle perfectly and opened it. "Natural skill, I guess," he said, chuckling, "And a few years of training. I've been fighting against Riku since we're little, remember?"

"Yeah. Right. A newbie like me can never defeat a natural fighter like you."

"I didn't say that," he snapped.

"Oh. You did."

"No, I didn't."

"You did.."

"..Not," he continued my sentence. "Stop it, Arin," he said, leaning his face so close to mine, even before I could say anything.

My heart pounded seeing his blue eyes staring so close at me. I felt my face stammered. He didn't realize it, thankfully. I pushed him away gently and as normal as I could.

"Okay, okay," I said throwing the bottle, which still half full, to the ground under a palm tree and then walked over to pick my struggle bat, "Then, let's continue our training, shall we? And maybe this time I can defeat you."

Sora did the same before posed his fighting stance. "You ask for it."

-------------------------------

"Can you teach me how to bake a cake, Lily?" I asked

Lily looked at me as she took a bite of her sandwich. "What?" she asked with her mouth full.

"Please teach me how to bake a cake," I repeated.

She swallowed her food first before then said, "W-Well. I could. But, why all of a sudden..?"

"I wanna give it to Sora," I answered simply before she can even finished her question.

"Sora?"

I nodded. She snickered but tried to hold it by covering her mouth. Her respond made me jump out of surprise and embarrassment. "W-What?" I cried.

She stopped her laugh after a while (At last) and rubbed the tears, which came because of too much laughing, on her eyes. "You like Sora, don't you?"

I blush deep red as she said that, but tried to cover it anyway. "What do you mean? Why did you say that?"

"I don't know. Just wild stabs in the dark," she said, shrugging her shoulder. Her voice was ensuring, though an impish grin across her face.

"I do NOT like him."

"Uh-huh," she said, provoking me.

"I say I don't."

"Really?"

"Cut it out, Lily."

"I will if you told me."

"But I do not."

"Arinaz," she paused her sentence and narrowed her eyes at me, dirty smile still on her face. "Admit it. And I will shut up."

I glared at her and sighed heavily. After thinking a while, I said it, almost like a mumble, "I-like-him."

The grin on her face grew wider. "I knew it."

I sighed again. "Lily, back to the topic.."

"Okay. I'll teach you."

"Great," I said, "Then, what do you think I should make, Lily?"

"Err.." She shrugged. "Dunno. Maybe you'd better ask Riku."

I nodded. "He's Sora's best friend after all."

---------------------------------

"That would be 30 munny," the cashier said when she typed something on the cashier machine in front of her. Riku and I left the supermarket, after paid for the groceries, of course, followed by the "Thank you. Please come again" from the cashier girl.

"Is that all?" I asked pointing at the grocery bag.

"Let's see.. Eggs, sugar, butter," Riku listed all the things we had bought, "And semisweet chocolate. Guess that's it."

"Okay, then. Let's go to my house so we can make the flourless chocolate cake," I said full of spirit, throwing my arm to the air.

He chuckled looking at me. "I've been wondering."

"Yes?"

"What do you like in Sora?"

"What!?"

"Don't deny it. I'm positive that you like him."

I rolled my eyes. "You sounded like Lily."

"Is that so?" He chuckle a bit more.

-----------------------------

"Make sure not to forget to give it to him," Lily pointed at a small box I've been holding.

"You've already said it for about 20 times, Lily."

"Just remind you," she said as we walking down the school hallway.

"I'm not that forgetful."

She smiled and stopped walking when the hallway separated to two directions. "Ah. Gotta go. I have math class this morning," she said turning to the left and waving at me.

"Bye."

"Tell me how it's going later, 'kay?"

"Yeah, yeah," I said rolling my eyes.

"Catch'cha later," was all I heard before I turned to the right.

I have music class this morning. On my way to the music class, I saw the spiky brown hair boy standing in front of his locker. Speaking of the devil.

I started to feel nervous again. I stood still for a while, thinking about should I give it to him or not. But I decided to give anyway, since I'm pretty sure Lily will scold me if I didn't do it.

So I walked over to him slowly and tried to act normally. "Hi, Sora." Well, at least my voice wasn't tremble.

However, he didn't answer. Not even turned his head. I called him once again, louder this time, "Sora, good morning."

Still no respond. "Hey, Sora!" I yelled.

I could see he was paused this time. Although he still didn't turn his head at me, he merely looked over his shoulder. But he didn't say anything so it's obvious there's something wrong. "What's wrong, Sora?" I asked.

"Nothing," was all the respond before he slammed his locker door and quickly walked away.

I grabbed his shoulder, stopping him. "There must be something wrong, with you being so gloomy and quite, Sora. Don't lie to me." He didn't reply. "You can tell me if you had any problem. We're friends, right? That's what friends for, Sora."

He seemed to flinch at my last sentence. And then he grabbed my hand. "Leave me alone, Arin," he said as he swayed my hands away. He then walked away.

"Sora, wait," I called him but he kept walking. I was leaving there, feeling both confused and worried.


	3. Struggle Challenge

* * *

**Love in a piece of cake**

**

* * *

**

**Disclaimer:**

I **do not** own anything related to Kingdom Hearts

* * *

**Chapter 3: Challenge**

**

* * *

  
**

"_Leave me alone, Arin,"_

His words kept on echoing in my mind. I don't know why, but I just couldn't let it go.

"There must be something wrong," I mumbled to myself as I collecting my sketchbook and a small book from my locker. I got art class next.

"What **is**?" I heard a familiar voice asking.

I looked over my shoulder to see Riku, standing behind me. "Hey, Riku."

"Hey," he replied. He walked to the locker across from mine, opened it before asking again, "Did you give it to him?"

Uh-oh. I totally forgot about that, not that it was important when my friend just seem to get some trouble. "Well, not yet," I said closing my locker door, "It looks like he's not in the mood today, so I think that would be… annoying to him."

"Did he tell you you're annoying or something?"

"Umm… No, at least, yet," I leant on my locker's door, "But he told me to leave him alone."

"What's happened?"

"I don't know," I said, "He just suddenly ignored me and told me that."

"Hm… I wonder what's wrong with him," he said; putting his hand on his chin, thinking. "Want me to talk to him?"

I shook my head means "No". "Thanks, Riku," I said, "But I'll do that myself."

-------------------------

I was just entering the school cafeteria when I spotted the spiky brunette friend of mine. He was sat on the round table with his two friends, whom I know as Tidus and Wakka.

I walked towards him rather quickly to be greeted by Tidus and Wakka when I was about a metre from them. "Hey, Arinaz," said Tidus, while Wakka only waved because his mouth full of food.

I could see Sora was paused from taking a bite of the apple he was holding as soon as he heard them calling my name.

"Hi, Tidus, Wakka," I greeted them back, "Mind if I borrow **him** for a minute?" I said while holding both of Sora's shoulder.

"Don't mind her, guys," he said as he trying to shrug my hands away.

Tidus and Wakka looked at me, then at Sora, questioningly. But after a while, they said, "Sure. You can have him the way you like it."

"Thanks," I said with a smile, almost in unison with Sora's "Traitor", but they didn't mind him.

I grabbed Sora's wrist and dragged him from the table to the cafeteria door. I could hear them whispering at each other, "Lover's quarrel.".

As soon as we got out from the cafeteria, Sora snatched his hand away, setting it free from my grab. "What do you want?" he said quite harshly.

"It should be **you** that I ask that question to, not **me,**" I said, crossing my arms.

"Why me?"

"Because **you** ignoring me and told me leave you alone."

"What's with that?"

"What do you mean 'what's with that'?" I started to raise my tone, "It's obvious that you're avoiding me."

"….." He didn't say anything.

"What's wrong, Sora?"

"It's nothing to concern you," he answered.

"Sora," I reached out his hand, "What's wrong?" I repeated.

He pulled his hand free. "I've said it's nothing to do with you, Arin," he snapped, "Now leave me alone." He continues just before he brushed past me.

I stood there, looking at his back as he walked away. I didn't intend to follow him, but I stated to myself: **'I won't give up'**

----------------------

I jogged over to Sora as soon as I found him at the beach, lying on the sand while his gaze was paused at the sea. He seemed to realize my presence since he made a noise and said, "What now?" He sat up from his previous position and turned his head at me.

I threw over one of the struggle bats I've been holding to him. Sora narrowed his eyes, yet he caught it perfectly. He looked at the bat then at me.

I pointed the other struggle bat in my hand right in front of his face. "Sora," I started, "I challenge you for a struggle fight. If I won, you must tell me what's been bothering you."

He stared at me for a while before then sighed. "This won't work, Arin," he said, "You can't defeat me. You'll only hurt yourself."

His statement made me angry as I yelled, "Stop acting like you care about me! You're only avoiding me! You run away from me!"

He stared at me.

After a while, he heaved a huge sigh. "Fine." He stood up and took the bat in his right hand. "Let's get this over with."

**--To be continue--**


	4. Confession

* * *

**Love in a piece of cake**

**

* * *

**

**Disclaimer:**

I **do not **own anything related to Kingdom Hearts

* * *

**Chapter 4: Confession (Last chapter)**

**

* * *

  
**

"Sora," I started, "I challenge you for a struggle fight. If I won, you must tell me what's been bothering you."

After a while, he heaved a huge sigh. "Fine." He stood up and took the bat in his right hand. "Let's get this over with."

------------------------

"Just give up already!" Sora shouted as he saw me kneeled down at the ground.

I lifted my head a bit to see him face-to-face. "No," I said, "I won't."

I stood up, and then as soon as I regained my balance, I ran over and started to attack him. But all I can do was a slow, short combo, which he blocked perfectly.

I jumped backwards when I almost out of energy. Sora, seeing this as a chance, glided at fast speed towards me and attacked rapidly from side-to-side, making me hard to defend. Some of his attacks hit me, although it only made some minor damages, luckily.

After a few times of slashing, he leaped into the air, and then jumped down hard at where I was standing. I quickly dodged it, but instead, I fell down to the ground.

Sora, as soon as he touched the ground, didn't move even a bit. He stood still at where he landed, looking down at me.

"Why won't you give up?" he asked.

"Why would you care?" I asked back quite harshly.

"You only hurt yourself…"

"Stop acting like you care!" I snapped even before he could finish his sentence.

He looked at me wide-eyed, don't say even a word.

"I won't give up! I won't! Until I defeat you, I won't give up!" I repeated the same words again and again.

"….." He looked down at the ground.

I rushed at him and swung my struggle bat. I hit him with a few times of single downward strikes and the best combo I could make. He either blocked or dodged it, and I constantly attacked him.

On my last attack, I let my bat clashed with his. We both stood there, face-to-face, using equal force on our weapons. We were both equally matched. But after a few minutes, he seemed to best me so I gave a full force to my bat. Sora backed off a little bit. We clashed our bats once more and we jumped away from each other.

I threw my struggle bat, using it as a boomerang. He dodged it to the right. I jumped over and caught the struggle bat that I threw before as I landed behind him. Then I swung my bat at him before he could even defend. This time, I got him quite intense.

He fell backward and lost his grip on his bat. His bat fell to the ground next to my feet.

I kicked his bat to make sure he couldn't reach it. Then, I walked to him and pointed my bat to his face.

This means a win for me.

Sora, still lying on the ground, stated, "You won."

I still looked at him. I knew I won. But I also I knew **this isn't right**.

"Why do you let me win?" I started.

He didn't answer for a minute but then said, "I don't. I lose already…"

"You could just block my previous attack but you didn't." I repeated again, "Why?"

"…." He looked straight at me. Then he sat up and said, "Since you wanna win that bad…"

I heaved a huge sigh as I put one of my hands on my forehead. "So that's why…" I kneeled down beside him, sat down, and pulled my legs up to my chest. "You know, Sora? I really wanna win, but not because you let me. I wanna win by my own strength."

A soft smile formed on his face. "I know," he said, "But, you did great, Arin. Way better than before."

I smiled back at him.

Sora scratched the back of his head. "And anyway…" he began, "I sort of want to tell you."

"The reason?"

"Yeah," he said as he nodded.

"Go on."

He took a deep breath. "I was kinda jealous of you and Riku."

"…" I didn't respond. Sora turned his head to me, but all I can do was showing a 'what-the-heck-do-you-mean' face.

"Arin?" his voice brought my mind back.

"W-W-Wait a minute," I shook my head, "What do you mean 'jealous of me and Riku'?"

"What? Well, exactly it is…"

"N-No," I tried to think about the proper way to ask this, "I mean… Why?"

"I saw you walked with him two days ago."

Two days ago… That's when I asked Riku about the cake.

I silenced for a minute, expecting him to tell anything further, but he didn't. "That's it?" I asked.

"Yeah," he answered, "Well, Riku seemed to enjoy your companion. He rarely laughs around everyone, especially girls. But, **he** laughed freely with you."

"And that makes you… jealous?"

Sora didn't show any response when I said that, but instead, his face seemed to stammer. After a minute or so, he nodded.

I opened my mouth a bit, about to say something. But only a heavy sigh came out. "You're such an idiot, Sora," I said as I put my head on my lap.

"Wh-What!?" He cried, "What's with the sudden insult!?"

I stood up and walked over to a palm tree. I bent down a bit and picked up my bag, which I put under the tree before I fight Sora. I ruffled the inside of my bag and took out a small box from it. Then, I walked back to him.

I held out my hands, showing him the box. "Here," I said.

He took the box from my hands. After a few seconds observing the box full of confusion, he opened it. His eyes blinked as he saw what's inside the box.

"Chocolate cake?" he said.

"To be exact, flourless chocolate cake," I explained as if I was a professional. I chuckled a bit.

"You made this?" he asked, still focusing on the cake.

"Yeah. Lily and Riku taught me."

"Riku?" he asked, suddenly turned his head at me.

I nodded. "Yeah. I asked him about what I should make."

"Wha…" He didn't finish his sentence and let his mouth open. "So what I saw that day…" He looked down at the ground.

"Riku accompanied me to buy the ingredients."

"…" It was silence for a while. "But… Why didn't you ask me instead of Riku?" he asked again, lifting his head and looking at me.

"Because…" I bent down again, kneeling at the ground. "I wanna give that cake to you. Do you think I could ask you for something like that?"

He stared at me. "You made this for… me?"

He looked back at the cake as soon as I nodded. He picked the cake and took a big bite of it, munching it for a while before turned to me again. "It tastes great!" he said as he showed me a big grin.

I laughed, looking at his face. His mouth was dirty and chocolate was all over his cheeks. "Can't you eat any messier than this?" I said sarcastically.

Sora, who has taken his last bite of the cake, looked at me just before he realized his dirty face. He was about to wipe his mouth with the back of his hand when I interrupted.

"Hey! Don't wipe it with your hand," I said as I took out a piece of tissue from my pocket. "Come here," I called.

He stood up and walked towards me, although we're not too far from each other. He stopped right in front of me and bent down a bit. As his face was at the right height, I wiped his mouth and cheeks with the tissue.

"There," I said, releasing his face from my hands.

He stood up straight from his previous position. "Thanks." He grinned.

I smiled at him.

"Um… Arin," he called, turning his back to me as he scratching the back of his neck, "There's something I haven't told you yet."

"Hm? What is it?"

"I…uh…" he started.

I waited for him to finish his sentence patiently.

Then, in a quick movement, he spun around to look at me again. "I li… Ouch!" he was about to finish when out of nowhere a basketball hit his head hard, making him drop to on top of me.

"Wha-What the…?" I said, looking at the basketball, completely confused.

"Ouch," Sora groaned, holding his head at where the ball had hit.

"Sora!" I heard someone yelling.

Sora and I turned our head to the source of the voice, which coming from behind Sora. We both looked in quite surprise at Lily and Riku. Riku was holding both of Lily's hands, stopping her from throwing another basketball which is in her hand.

"Let me go, Riku!" she yelled at him.

"I won't unless you calm down a bit," he replied, tightening his grip.

I stared at both of them for a while, and managed to say, "Lily! Riku!" I cried out, calling their names as Sora getting up from me.

Riku looked up at me. "Hey," he replied simply.

"What are you two doing?" I asked with Lily still yelling "Let me go!" on the background.

"Well, we are some kind of… searching for you," he answered.

Lily still struggled.

"Kind of?"

"You were nowhere to find, so **she…**" he motioning with his chin to Lily, "asked me for help," he continued.

This time, Lily's effort to set free was successful. As soon as Riku lost his grip to her hand, she threw another ball at Sora's head, bull's eye at his forehead this time.

Sora fell to his back on the ground with another "Ouch". As she yelled, "Sora, why are you ignoring Arinaz? You even told her to leave you alone… What was that about?"

I looked at Lily speechless just before turned to Riku.

He shrugged. "I told her about that. Sorry."

I shook my head. "N-No. That's okay," I said as I started to walk between Lily and Sora. "Lily, stop!"

She stopped.

"We've already get that problem solved," I explained, "So please calm down and stop throw another basketball at him." I pointed at Sora.

She seemed to be calmer. "Solved?" she asked.

I nodded.

There was an awkward silence. "O-Oh," was the entire thing she managed to say.

"Ouw…" Sora groaned as he got up from the sand, rubbing both the back of his head and his forehead. "You sure know how beat the crap out of me, Lily," he said.

Lily's face stammered out of embarrassment. "S-Sorry," she said as she bowed deeply at him, "I'm so sorry."

The sudden changes of her attitude made all of us speechless again, except for Riku. He was mocking her with his chuckle, while rolling his eyes as he said, "I told you."

"Shut up, Riku," was the respond.

Both Sora and I laughed at this scene.

"So, you've done with the misunderstanding?" Riku suddenly asked, crossing his arms.

Sora nodded. "Yeah," he grinned.

"Good," he replied, "Then, have you told her?"

Sora blushed deeply red suddenly. "Sh-Shut up, Riku!" he cried.

"Two 'shut-up' in a row," Riku said, rolling his eyes again.

"Oh, shut up!" This time, both Lily and Sora snapped at him.

I laughed and Riku chuckled.

"Okay. Enough with the 'shut up'," Riku said. He then dragged Lily by her neck. "C'mon, Lily. We should get going."

"Hey!" she yelled again. "Let me go, Riku!"

After they were out of sight, we both laughed again. I was the first one to stop the laugh.

"By the way, Sora. What does Riku mean by 'told me'?" I asked, remembering Riku's question to him before.

"Ah. Well…" he became nervous again, "Um… I… uh…"

"Yeah?"

He took a deep breath then said, "I like you, Arin."

I didn't respond.

"I like you. That's why I was jealous," he repeated.

"…"

"I know how I'd acted today must be hurt you. I'm sorry."

"…"

"I'm really sorry, Arin."

"…" I still didn't say anything. "Sora," I called after a few minutes.

"Yeah?"

"I-I like you, Sora," I managed to say although my voice seemed trembling really hard.

I avoided his gaze. I turned my back at him so he won't see my face, which is deep red out of nervous and embarrassment.

"Really?" he asked, making me more nervous than before.

I only responded with a nod.

Suddenly I felt his arms wrap around me as he pulled me closer, hugging me from behind. My heart pounded really hard. I couldn't even say anything.

"I like you, Arin," he said once again.

I gulped as if it would make my nervous go away. And who knows, it **does** work!

I grabbed his hands and made him releasing the hug. Then, I turned to him and gave him a big hug.

"I like you, too," I said as I rested my head on his shoulder.

**--The End--**


End file.
